Archive for the 'Firearms' Category

I think he doesn’t understand that he’s misusing the terms “energy” and potential energy.”  However, his point remains true, and I would have thought the point intuitive.  The energy needs to be applied to the right location, and putting components into a vise as a cantilever isn’t the right way to approach the problem.  Keep everything along main axes if possible to minimize the torque (force × moment arm) applied to the component itself.  Things can break.  But I’ve seen situations where this wasn’t entirely possible.

From reader Ned, CZ may be looking to purchase Colt.

The parent companies of both Colt and CZ have been negotiating a deal that may make firearms history. CZ is looking to buy out Colt following years of financial trouble for the iconic American firearms company.

While some people may not like the idea of a Czech firm swooping in to buy up one of the most storied manufacturers in American history, gun enthusiasts might see this in a completely different light. CZ might not be a household name like Colt, but gun owners everywhere know about CZ.

According to the CZ Group, the two have agreed to initial terms and CZ is now performing due diligence work before finalizing the deal. CZ expects to finish the due diligence period by the end of January 2021.

“The parties have reached an agreement in principle on key commercial parameters of the transaction,” said the CZ Group in a statement (.pdf). “Execution of the definitive documentation for the transaction is estimated to take place by the end of January 2021, subject to completing the negotiations, finalizing the transaction documentation, and obtaining necessary approvals of the relevant stakeholders.”

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The question remains, what will a CZ-operated Colt’s Manufacturing look like? Hopefully a lot like Dan Wesson. CZ acquired Dan Wesson Firearms in 2005 in a move that revitalized the American company while preserving its legacy.

This is an interesting move, and not one I quite understand, frankly.  I’m not sure what the business model will look like.  Colt, like Remington, may be irretrievably lost.

For instance, has CZ considered that it may be impossible to conduct business in a financially responsible manner in a Northern state, combined with union labor?  Why wouldn’t they move Colt to a right-to-work state?  Or maybe they are considering that.

I’m also not quite sure what it means to purchase Colt?  Does this mean purchasing the rights to designs, branding, machinery, people-equity and intellectual property?  Also consider that any purchase of a company also means responsibility for debt.

CZ is making some fine equipment today.  I’d hate to see the brand sullied by failure to turn Colt around.

Recall that I pointed out that the CZ Tactical Sport 2 pistol shown was the incorrect gun and couldn’t be obtained in the U.S.?

Well, American Rifleman has corrected the report.  Their article now shows the correct pistol.

I guess they listened.

With his focus on level guns and now revolvers, I like the direction Chris Costa is headed with his videos.  This is full service analysis, not just MSRs.

But then, I’m pretty old school and see 1911s, revolvers and open carry as dignified and gentlemanly.

Recoil Magazine gives us the details.

It is a striker fired pistol with 5″ barrel length, slide cuts, what appears to be a slide cut for a red dot optic, a 17-round magazine, aggressive stippling and a flared mag well.  It’s an attractive pistol.

Here’s another attractive pistol, the CZ Tactical Sport 2.

This is a two-tone pistol with very nice texturing on the grips, large controls, a 5.23″ barrel and 20-round magazine.  The burnt bronze frame is especially attractive, as is the profile.  The thing that appeals to me most is that it is a hammer-fired pistol rather than a striker-fired pistol.

Take a hard look at it.  Then compare it with this pistol at CZ-USA.  They’re not the same gun.  I sent a note to CZ today and asked about this, and was told that this particular model was not what was being imported.  I was told that CZUB was probably the author of this picture.

Indeed, this picture comes from a different site, international CZ I suppose.  I have not received a response on how one might obtain one, but at the moment it doesn’t appear to me that anyone is importing this particular gun.

This is massive fail with Shooting Illustrated in my opinion.  They have written up a pistol that apparently cannot be obtained.  Don’t they have editors?

Perspective.

But back to the Ruger .357. I discovered, via an article in one of the gunzines, the Ruger bolt action. Interestingly enough, the article was written about using that particular rifle as part of a triad of firearms, all chambered for the .357. This imaginative gent who wrote the article combined the rifle with a holster gun, which was a .357 Ruger Blackhawk, (imagine that) and a .357 Ruger LCR, the Ruger LCR being a short barreled pup of a gun, designed for concealed carry.

To me, that would be good for scraping miscreants off your face in a dire situation. I really don’t know where that leaves it as a field gun? Especially since you’re already toting a .357 Blackhawk.

Perhaps that writer’s implication was that with those three firearms, one had a suitable firearm for any occasion, all chambered for the same cartridge? Regardless, this .357 Ruger bolt gun intrigues me. Light, handy and accurate, it’d be powerful enough for anything from badger to black bear. It makes an excellent light-duty, woods running gun and is nearly ideal for collection everything from rock-chuck to a grouse for your dinner or potting a coyote. It would also make an excellent trunk gun for your car, for emergency use, and, with a holster gun also chambered in .357 caliber, it just makes perfect sense for a woods companion.

I confess that I wasn’t aware of these rifles either.  Immediately when I saw this article I wondered if like the Ruger 77/357, there was a Ruger 77/44.  There is.

Hickok 45 has two reviews of this gun here and here.  And if I had been the “buddy” who loaned him that gun, he would have given it back to me a long time ago.

He does an impressive job of hitting his targets.  He has several 45-70 guns, something that seems appealing to me.

Sure, it sounds a lot like an infomercial for Mad Pig Customs, but it’s still worth watching.  I think Chris may be auditioning for the only trainer on the use of the tactical lever action gun.

I take it that Mad Pig Customs does a great job with lever action gunsmithing, but they seem to be small.

Wide Open Spaces.

Savage Arms has announced the latest addition to their lineup of firearms, and it’s a style of gun Americans may not be entirely familiar with.

The new Savage IMPULSE has just been unveiled, and we’ve got all the details straight from the source.

The American-made IMPULSE rifles feature a unique straight-pull bolt action, popular in European markets, that refines the basic function of the conventional bolt into one quick movement. Instead of twisting the bolt handle up, pulling back, pushing forward, then twisting back down, a straight pull rifle like the IMPULSE only requires a straight back, then straight forward manipulation of the cycling process.

The key to IMPULSE’s lightning-quick functionality is the new action, which is built around Hexlock, an innovative new style of lockup that allows for IMPULSE’s reliability and speed, not to mention safety and accuracy.

Hexlock holds the key to the unique straight pull action, and operates in a rather interesting way. Six hardened steel ball bearings combine to lock the bolt in place inside the receiver’s barrel extension. When pressure increases, Hexlock’s hold strengthens, making sure that the bolt can’t move rearward.

Once the round has left the barrel, the pressure eases up, and the action can open safely with the straight pull of the bolt handle. In addition, the bolt handle’s position can be adjusted to several different angles, which helps ensure you’re clearing optics or satisfying your personal preference. You can even switch from a right hand to a left hand bolt operation without any special tools or skills.

This model has an MSRP of $1379.  I have to confess that I’m not familiar enough with European designs to know much about straight pull systems.  Gunsmiths can weigh in.

But the MSRP (which will doubtless be higher than what you see in stores) is enough to buy a classical bolt action gun, and a very good precision one at that.  Savage is making some very nice equipment, but some of it is still a bit pricey.

Jeff Quinn has left us, but his brother carries on.  This is a nice wheel gun.  A gentleman’s gun indeed.  This appears to be similar to the Kimber K6 with its beautiful grip.